A Message From Human Connections’ New Executive Director Kevin Donnelly, Ph.D. - Human Connections
February 12, 2022

Dear Human Connections Family,

I am both humbled and delighted to greet you today and introduce myself as the new Executive Director of Human Connections. Since I began my acquaintance with Human Connections back in November during the interview process, I have been repeatedly impressed by the warmth and dedication that characterizes this community, from current and past Board members, our community partners, past program participants, and new interlocutors interested in engaging with us as soon as conditions permit. There are clearly strong and deep connections among us, and I hope to build on this strong foundation with ambitious and meaningful new responsible travel experiences in the very near future!

As we enter our third calendar year of living under the constraints of COVID, I think it is fair to say that most of us are weary and anxious, as well as ready to move forward. COVID has taken a particularly hard toll on Human Connections’ work, leading us to reimagine the very essence of how a connection can be made. With travel restrictions and the threat of contagion, most of our programming has been on indefinite hold in order to protect program participants and local partners. Yet, like all strong communities, we responded with creative online solutions, including virtual workshops, student programs, and internships, as well as Camino, an online catalog that continues to link our local partners with connections abroad. We are cautiously optimistic that 2022 will afford us new opportunities to resume some of the face-to-face experiences that are key to fulfilling our mission.

The forced suspension of programs, the ample time to reflect and reimagine Human Connections’ possibilities, and the inclusion of new people in the community (among them, tu servidor) mean that changes are certainly on the horizon, even though our commitment to increasing empathy across cultures and strengthening communities through responsible travel experiences remains firm. As a life-long educator who has worked in higher education, the K-12 world, and most recently, at a technology startup in Guadalajara, I have many ideas regarding how we can imagine, explore, develop, and market ethical group travel for the benefit and growth of all parties involved. Stay tuned, as we will keep you apprised of our changes and advances through the HC blog, social media posts, and occasional emails.

As a final note, I would simply like to say that I look forward to getting to know all of you. However, perhaps more importantly, I would like to extend my sincere thanks, as it is clear that Human Connections would not be ready to face the future if it had not been for the tremendous support and generosity from this community, which helped to keep things running since the pandemic began.

With warm regards and saludos,

Kevin Donnelly, Ph.D.

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